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Laporta: Toure talks scheduled

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that starlet Bojan Krkic will be staying with the Spanish champions, but that more discussions are required with Yaya Toure, further fuelling speculation that he is on his way to Arsenal.

Published

18 May 2010

The Ivory Coast international, who has been linked with the Gunners in the past, played a major part in the Catalans' treble triumph last season.

However, he has found first team opportunities harder to come by in 2009/10, with with his agent Dimitri Seljuk recently revealing that Toure has a "90 percent chance of leaving Barcelona this summer."

With reports on Tuesday suggesting the Gunners' skipper Cesc Fabregas is poised to rejoin Pep Guardiola's side before the start of the World Cup, Emirates Stadium supremo Arsene Wenger could turn to Toure - brother of ex-Arsenal defender Kolo - as a replacement.

Talking on Radio Catalunya, outgoing Barca president Laporta revealed: "What is clear is that Bojan will remain. That is what I have understood. With Toure, we will have to have some discussion. He has always stated his happiness with being at Barcelona and, further, he is an important element of the team and he knows that."

"Sometimes, perhaps he has wanted to participate more. We need to discuss with the coaching staff and then we will see."